Socket and support means for mounting electrical devices



Aug. 30, 1960 v. s. GITTENS 2,951,226 SCCKET AND SUPPORT MEANS FORMOUNTING ELECTRICAL DEVICES 7 Filed Jan. 2, 1957 F/,%.1. v 1 7g. 2,

, INVEN TOR. 10670 5. Glff'E/VJ 2,951,226 SDCKET AND SUPPORT MEANS FORMOUNTIN ELECTRICAL DEVICES Victor S. Gittens, Philadelphia, Pa, assignorto Philco Corporation, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of PennsylvaniaFiled Jan. 2, 1957, Ser. No. 632,116 2 Claims. (Cl. 339-17) Theinvention herein described and claimed relates generally to electricalconnection apparatus and pertains more particularly to a novelcombination of socket and panel means for mounting electrical devices.Specifically, the invention has to do with means for supportingremovable electronic components and for establishing releasableconnections between the contact leads of said components and theelectrical circuit of electronic equipment, such as radio or televisionreceivers.

While of broader applicability, the invention is particularly usefulwhen embodied in tube sockets adapted for association with a system ofconductors of the so called printed circuit type in which conductivestrips are provided on a non-conductive mounting panel. In conventionalconstructions of this kind, electronic components are mounted on oneside, usually the top side, of the panel, and the conductive strips aredisposed on the other or bottom side of the panel, said strips beingarranged in accordance with a predetermined circuit diagram to provideconductive paths between the components. Sockets adapted to receive thecontact prongs or pins of a vacuum tube are also mounted on said one ortop side of the panel and have soldering lugs passing through the panelfor electrical connection with terminal portions of the conductive pathson the underside of the panel. In circuit panel assemblies for compacttelevision and radio receivers, it is necessary that components beclosely grouped on panels of limited dimensions. This close grouping ofcomponents on panels of restricted size gives rise to assembly problemsand diiiiculties. These problems and difiiculties are encounteredparticularly when it becomes desirable to provide panels with tuningcondensers, switches, volume and tone controls, or similar bulkydevices, which take up appreciable space and require the use of enlargedpanels so as not to obstruct sockets located in the vicinity of suchdevices.

It is therefore a primary object of this invention to overcome the abovenoted difficulties and problems by providing an improved mountingarrangement which makes it possible to place components close to eachother without interfering with their use.

Another object of the invention is to provide apparatus for connectingcontact prongs of an electrical component with electrical circuit means,which apparatus includes a circuit panel and component socket thereon,said socket and panel being constructed and associated in such a mannerthat the component prongs can be inserted either through passage meansin the socket or through passage means in the panel.

It is also an important object of this invention to provide a componentmounting socket, the body of which incorporates means whereby thesoldering lugs of the socket can be probed through the body while thecomponent is in engagement therewith so as to facilitate testing of theequipment under actual working conditions.

Other advantageous features of the present invention reside in theprovision of a mounting socket which can avoid the possibility ofimproper connections, which can afiord stronger and neater panelconstruction, and which can be adequately protected by the panel againstexcessive heat during customary dip-soldering operations.

To the above-mentioned general ends, the invention employs anon-conductive socket body which is adapted for mounting on a circuitcarrying panel and which has apertured recesses to accommodateconductive elements for establishing electrical connections betweencontact prongs of an electronic component and terminal areas of circuitconductors on said panel. In a broader aspect of the present invention,each of the mentioned conductive elements has a prong receiving portionand a soldering lug portion. The prong receiving portions are disposedin the socket body and are such that component prongs can be engagedwith said portions by insertion through the apertures of the socket bodyor through the apertures of the panel. The soldering lug portions aresuch that they can be connected with the terminal areasof the circuitconductors on the panel without obstructing the prong-receivingapertures.

In incorporating the principles of the invention in vacuum tube sockets,the prong receiving portions of the conductive elements are in thegeneral form of sleeves, and the soldering portions of said elements arein the general form of elongated strips extending from said sleeves.These sleeves together with the corresponding apertures in the socketbody and panel are arranged to agree with the conventional arrangementof the prongs of the tube and the mentioned strips are constructed toextend from the socket body and to pass through an additional set ofapertures in the circuit panel, the latter apertures registering withthe terminal areas of the circuit conductors.

The full nature of the invention and the manner in which thehereinbefore mentioned objects and advantageous features of theinvention will be more fully understood from the following descriptiontaken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a bottom plan view of a portion of a circuit panel providedwith tube sockets embodying the present invention;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the panel portion illustrated in Figure1, the tubes being removed from the mounting sockets; 1

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially on line 3--3 ofFigure 2;

Figure is a fragmentary bottom view of the socket seen in Figure 4, withthe conductive elements removed therefrom; and

Figure 6 is a perspective view, on a greatly enlarged scale, of aconductive element constructed in accordance with this invention.

Having more particular reference to the drawing, there is illustrated acircuit assembly '10, which includes a base in the form of a panel 12 ofnon-conductive material, such as phenolic plastic or synthetic resin. Asshown in Figure 2, perforations 14 for receiving component leads areinterspersed throughout the panel in accordance with the predeterminedcircuit diagram to permit passage of siad leads through the panel and toprovide for their connection with circuit conductive pathsv constitutedby means of thin flat conductive strips 15 which are affixed to thenormal bottom surface of the panel 12.

The formation of conductive strips on the mentioned side of the panel isaccomplished by any known suitable process, for example by etching, andsaid strips are made to conform to a predetermined pattern so that theyelectrically link proper electronic components to com-- plete thecircuit. For that purpose, as seen in Figure 1,. the conductive stripshave portions 16 which registerwith the lead receiving perforations 14in the panel 12.

The circuit components overlie the other (normally the top), side of thepanel 12 and, in the illustrated example, include such elements as apotentiometer 17, vacuum tube sockets 18, capacitors l9, resistors 20,crossover linking wires 21, and terminal posts 22. These componentsexcept for the sockets 18, are of con ventior al ypes, an i e rn s ass.t r u h eapp snr ate P r 6 fora tionsl 14 in the panel 12. As iscustomarfltheend P rtion o t e II F Q 1 d a e imped e mfq ldstu n s iq ta q t cn p t c.., du 9 strips 1 i p rt c la r s td w w th the i te t ons sh dither-r k t s metime ncnnduc i e ypr. u a o base, which as showninfiguresl Q, has a thickssflw h' s lr t s tign c td saste -.7 S i d isneral y c r u a mnfisura tma d p ovided-w h a plurality of conductiveelements designated-generally. at 24, Figure 4, and which ,are arrangedas a ring,; see Figures 2 and ,5. As further indicat ed Toy-Figure .4,these'elements serve as contacts for pins-1 One ofsaid m ntss cle ly awnin i us -i' ssss n u t men s a e, a ed-W thin: di lrr s ses 2 ,t( ure .24 and l5) sunk inwardly of the socketbody-,fromrfhe nn u de side .th siis d c sh. o s ids sh e t -s t es 3 s ee ekep r ion-r2 a d a fi ssoldering lug portion 29 extending from one end and disposed. to.-' oneside of said sleevelike portion The lug, portions 7 c sie t d n a dl o te tvb a d a e-s, p ssdt ss t o s ots 30 g. )-in thezpanel 12 and arebent tover for solden connection .withcertain of t e co du ve s p 15,.

Solderingpf the socket lugs as xye1l as of t herleads, 3 of the variouscomponents may be done in any suitab le qwnr f shi n-- ow r en, l r twnvi nfly' fisttbvdhri t r nsll r t w r oust m lsnts m nted. thereon aSolder P t aa rt usfi; s r ace. o t e P n l .Q -,w .sh, the i n ls i -ssa 15and associated lugw and lead .portionsarqdisposed, in contact withrnolteri solder, In. practice, ,solder applied only to those v ,pointswhere connections are de-z sired and this result is advantageouslyobtaiufidfiy -utili ing a mask having open areas locatedrtooverliegsaid, 40 points in the manner described and claimed in the copending application of Edward W. Plesserangi,Geor-ge; mm s v ria .5 1 4.fi d. u t 7 4 and assigned to the assignee of the present application,{1

AS c r y, S ai F ra -thedra i e ch s s sst 13 is s cre ii s t s c zon ts P ne s-1 b means of a rivet 31 or likefastening element. I'n;thisposition, the sleeve-like; portions 28 of, the conduqtive elements 24register with holes 32 in the socket bOQlYHHQ Q with holes 34 in thepanel,-12, ,so that vacuum tubes illustrated at T in Figure'fi, cansbemounted. on either side of said panel by introducing the prongs i of thetube either through theholes ,32 of the socket ,or through the holes 34of the panel, as represented in Figure l. Because of this arrangement,it will be understood that circuit requirements necessitating placingofa tubesocket 7;

\ adjacent a bulky; componentsuch. as the potentiqmetfim 17, can besatisfied without such. component interfering with engagement ordisengagernent ofa vacuum-tube}. with the socket. I As best seen, inFigures 4 and 5, thebody ofveach of the; sockets 18 'is provided withapertures .36 which open from the top ofsaidbody into thereeessest26 togi ea; access to a part 38 of the soldering lug portions 29, Testing ofa circuit panel mounted one customarychas; sis within a cabinet, isfacilitated by reason. 0f.this fconr, struction since probinginstruments of test equipment can-be applied to portions of theconductive elements Z from what is normally the top of the paneltwithoutr emoving the chassis from the cabinet;By1making the socket body ofasize such that the apertures 36 are exposed-when a vacuumtubeis mountedon the socket, testing of circuits 5 under: :actualworking conditionswith; vacuums-tubes in operation can be -advantageously-done fromsaidtop ,of the panel. It will further -be -seer -inzit Figure 4 thatpart 38 of conductive element 24 constitutes a bridge, connecting thesleeve-like, pin engaging portion 28 with lug or tail 29. The severalbridge portions 38 extend in andalqng the radial recesses 26. As b st idieats tb l F ure 6 ,s evem ,P us P pQrt -Qn. ,7 28 is of thesplitysleeve type rbeingwidelylopen at both" ends and convergenttherebetween,

t s st t hq it e nss asn sments j t' r cper position within the recesses26, ledges 40, projecting from the interior wallsofisaid.recesses,.aredisposed to underlie the parts 38 of said conductive elements and tomaintain said parts against the floor of saidrecesses. In practice,rthe.part 38;of each ofthe conductive-aelements 244s Ieducedimwidth toclearnthe ledges :40LW11BD. saidelements..are,fittedwithin;the; recesses26. Additiona11y,i, thetpart .39 is slitted as shown at Allin-Figuredso, that. said part,; when seated in .itsrecess can be-spread laterallyt by means ofyantappropriate, tool to overlap the; ledges... 40 and bethereby. lockedin-positionr- From.- theztforegoing description,, it.willibez appreciated .1 that the invention provides :a simpleSOCkelLCOHSt-X'UCtiQHT: which whennmounted ton onegsidezof a circuitpanel makesrit possibleio.mount/vacuum tubes or; like com-Hponents,vasnwellzasto, efliect testing of circuits tfromeitherfithasmcalled; printed or copper side (Figure 1); or. these-calledinsulation side. .ofthe-panel (Figure 2); as schematically. indicated,by upper and lower showings a, of pinsiP (Figure 4);; Although-the;invention has been shown and-described with reference to a specificembodi-iz. ment, it will ,be understoodthatthis embodiment is-susceptibleofyariations without departingvfrom the -.gist.oftheinvention. Accordingly, it is contemplated.: in the sub-joinedclaimfinto cover, those changes. and linodifica-v tions which properlycome. twithin the: spiritsand scope r of the invention. h

What Lclaim is:

1. Apparatus for connecting contact prongsnofnanw electrical componentEWith,associated electrical circuits, comprising: a non-conductivepanel, providedwith v conductive pathshavingterminal portions.- disposedwithin a limited area oisaid panel, said panelhaving apertures extendingthrough the: .panel within said area; a socket insulation base mountedon said panels withinsaid area;- and metal-contact meanssec uredstosaidvbase, such comtact means including, in grips and each having-atail, a pair; of. wide open ends,;anda convergent portion be- H tweensaid ends each, pin, grip :being substantially disposed within, ,thebase, opposite: one-.of said apertures extending; through, the.pane1,.1the base being apertured to expose both ends of each; pinngrip.and'havingJthicknessandarrangement-suchthat the' tails project from thebasefor copneetion; to ,said, ;conductive paths and that. the pin Igrips can grip contact pin structure insertedreither through saidapertnres or through thevoppositeaendsof the pin- 2. Apparat us,; acribedin .claimrnl, wherein saidsocket insulalion, base is of flat,tgenerally'circular shape said ptetalgontact naeau sqare, arrangedrasaring.-of con tact member s which ringis concentric, tosaid 11386,.- andsaid panel-r-apertures are farranged as a ring -of,-generally'1.-similar size and form.

r fi l fi C t d in t eifile ofrthis patent. s

1 STATES PATENTS. i

